Is Kobe Bryant the best choice for NBA MVP?

Pro: Lakers star has matured into all-around player

Kevork Djansezian / AP
Kobe Bryant, despite being considered one of the NBA's elite players for the past decade, has never won an MVP award. With the Lakers on top of the West, it could be Bryant's year.

The debate in deciding who's the Most Valuable Player in any sport is usually the same:

Does the MVP award represent the best player in the game? Or should the MVP be the player whose team just couldn't survive without him? It's always a question of value.

In the NBA this season, you could argue the Cavaliers would be a lottery team without LeBron James, the Spurs would have no shot at an NBA title without Tim Duncan, the Celtics would be a bit below average minus Kevin Garnett and the Suns would be lost if Steve Nash wasn't running the offense.

But it's finally time for Kobe Bryant to be recognized as the top player in the league and the most valuable to his team. It seems strange that the best basketball player on the planet still hasn't been named the most valuable in the world's greatest league.

It's not even a contest this season.

For the past few years, Bryant has been the most unstoppable offensive force in the NBA, but his team hasn't been one of the best. When the Lakers were winning championships, Bryant couldn't be considered for MVP since he was playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal.

While Bryant has a strong supporting cast this season, the Lakers' rise to the top of the Western Conference and as an ever-increasing popular pick to reach the NBA Finals is still because Bryant is leading the way.

One of the reasons the Lakers may win the title this season is because the Grizzlies gift-wrapped Pau Gasol in a completely one-sided deal, but the Lakers will only go as far as Bryant brings them. The Lakers were likely to reach the playoffs in the highly competitive West even before they acquired Gasol.

Bryant's maturation from a scorer to an all-around player makes him the best in the game. He has shown he can be like Magic Johnson in finding the open man, like Michael Jordan with his acrobatic displays, unstoppable jumper and defensive prowess, and even like Larry Bird with his ability to hit the deep 3-pointer and crash the boards when needed.

Magic and Bird won three MVPs; Jordan finished with five. All three were recognized as the best despite needing superior supporting casts to become champions. Magic played with Kareem, Worthy and Scott; Bird had McHale, Parrish and DJ; and Jordan never won a title until he had Pippen by his side.

Bryant is showing what he can do with a solid team surrounding him. While there is still some important games left in the regular season, they shouldn't matter. It's time for Bryant to win MVP No. 1.